Generals dress 13 rookies, lose 4-1

PORT HURON --- The stakes weren't as high for the Flint Generals Saturday night.

The Generals wanted to use Friday's preseason opener to impress the hometown fans and they did just that by beating the Port Huron Icehawks in a fight-filled game that sent everyone home happy

Saturday was for getting a look at the untested players still trying to earn a spot on the roster that will open the regular season next Friday night.

So coach Kevin Kerr sat nine players who will likely be on that regular-season roster, dressed 13 rookies and the result was predictable as Port Huron won the rematch 4-1 before an announced crowd of 902 at McMorran Arena.

But despite Flint's inexperienced crew, Port Huron wasn't able to put the Generals away until 4:15 left, when Jamie Carroll scored his second goal of the game to give the Icehawks a two-goal lead. Former General Jeff Zehr completed the scoring into an empty net with 47.5 seconds left..

Kevin Kerr

Kerr watched from the press box and saw pretty much what he needed to before trimming the roster Sunday.

"Some guys earned themselves some consideration," said Kerr. "There are a couple of guys who deserve another look based on their work ethic.

"We have a very talented and deep hockey team, unlike past years."

The Generals struck first 7:17 after the opening faceoff when Shawn Futers and Bobby Siers went barreling toward the Port Huron net.

Goaltender Ron Vogel stopped Futers' on the initial shot but Siers and one of the Icehawk defenseman went crashing into Vogel and the puck squirted into the net.

The Icehawks tied it and took the lead on back-to-back shots 26 seconds apart late in the period.

Tab Lardner scored against the Generals for the second straight night, beating Eric Marvin with a wrist shot from the slot before Carroll gave Port Huron a 2-1 lead by firing a wrist shot from the left circle with 1:33 left in the period.

There were four fights, including a first-period bout between Flint's Gabe Yeung and Port Huron heavyweight Neil Clark.

Yeung held his own with Clark, who played two preseason games with the Detroit Red Wings and went to training camp with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins, although it looked more like a Greco-Roman wrestling match than a hockey fight.

Marvin went the distance in Flint's net, finishing with 35 saves.

In General: Assistant coach Steve Pronger ran the Genearls bench with help from Jason Cirone, who was scratched from Flint's lineup along with Kris Mallette, Jordan Fox, Ryan Jorde, Josef Fojtik, Greg Bullock, Martin Ondrej, Jaroslav Cesky and Chad Alban. ... The Generals first coach's radio show will be at 6 p.m. Monday at the Raincheck. That will also serve as the meet the team night beginning at 5:30.